SEP 25 -- (EAST ST. LOUIS, IL) A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on September 24, 2009, Brandon MCNEESE , age 24, of Cahokia, Illinois, pled guilty in the United States District Court in East St. Louis, Illinois, to knowingly and intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing cocaine base (“crack”).

Sentencing is set for January 8, 2010. MCNEESE faces penalties of from 5 to 40 years in prison, followed by a term of supervised release of at least 4 years, and a fine of not more than $2 million. As with all federal sentences, MCNEESE’s term of incarceration will be served without the possibility of parole.

Investigation in support of the prosecution was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak.